Apparatus for positioning a member displaceably mounted in a housing

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for positioning a member, displaceably mounted in a housing, comprising two oppositely acting controllable pressure devices and a third controllable pressure device capable of locking the member in position and releasing the member.

United States Patent inventor Lucien Diolot Neuilly, France Appl. No. 801,108

Filed Feb. 20, 1969 Patented Dec. 21, 1971 Assignee Societe Nouvelle Spidem Paris, France Priority Feb. 20, 1968 France 14056] APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING A MEMBER DISPLACEABLY MOUNTED IN A HOUSING 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 72/245 Int. Cl. ..B21b 31/32 Field of Search... 72/245,

{56] ReierencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.985.042 5/1961 Talbot 72/243' 3,326,028 6/1967 Kajiwara 72/245 3,486,360 12/1969 Stubbsetal. 72/245 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-B. J. Ollila Attorney-Edwin E. Greigg ABSTRACT: Apparatus for positioning a member. displaceably mounted in a housing, comprising two oppositely acting controllable pressure devices and a third controllable pressure device capable of locking the member in position and releasing the member.

smegma ATENTED UECZI 197A SHEET 2 [1F 2 APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING A MEMBER DISPLACEABLY MOUNTED IN A HOUSING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an assembly incorporating a housing and a member mounted in said housing for rectilinear movement. One example of such an assembly comprises a rolling mill stand having two housings and two rolls mounted therein, one of which rolls is displaceable. The invention is concerned with the provision in such an assembly of apparatus for positioning the displaceable member.

In rolling mills, it is always useful to be able to position the rolls rapidly and precisely. More particularly, this becomes indispensible in the case of a high-lift rolling mill. This ability is also very desirable in the field of hot rolling, as well as in the rolling of certain rough sections. With such an improved mill as disclosed herein, the tolerances imposed on these rough sections can be gradually reduced to a predetermined minimum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the prior art, apparatus for positioning the rolls of rolling mills generally comprises screw-down assemblies incorporating lead screws having a course pitch, the screws threadably engaging in fixed nuts fast with the roll checks of the rolling mill stand and being operable by a geared motor. Such apparatus present only very limited possibilities for rapid and precise positioning of the rolls, and, more particularly, have small ranges of operating speeds. Auxiliary devices are then used which vary the speed at the control shafts, acting, for example, on the rotational speed of electric motors which are preferably direct current motors; it is also possible to interpose multispeed reduction gearing between the electric motors and the control shafts;

Such assemblies are found to be very expensive and also have all the disadvantages inherent in screw-nut transmissions. These disadvantages are more particularly to be feared in the field of use envisaged, owing to the very high values of the forces involved. Furthermore, these forces are always accompanied in this case by shock effects which are more particularly liable to damage the screw threads of the screws and nuts. Becoming deformed fairly quickly, these screw threads are liable to seizing and even to locking, thus being extremely likely to prejudice the satisfactory operation of the installanon.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for positioning a member displaceably mounted in a housing.

Another object of the invention is to replace, in rolling mills, the known electromechanical control apparatus for positioning at least one roll by a double pressure fluid control of a particular design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided in an assembly incorporating a housing and a member mounted in said housing for rectilinear movement, apparatus for positioning the member in said housing comprising two oppositely acting controllable pressure devices arranged respectively to urge the member in opposite directions and a third controllable pressure device capable of locking the member in position and releasing said member.

Also, according to a further feature of the invention, two opposing operating devices, preferably two low-pressure jacks, which are independent of one another, are associated with each of the two ends of the shaft of the rolling mill roll which it is proposed to position, their action being exerted, for example, on the chock corresponding to the said roll, one of the operating devices causing the downward movement of the said chock, and the other tending on the other hand to force the chock upwardly. These devices bear respectively, one on the upper housing extremity of the rolling mill stand and the other on the chock of the roll opposite to that which it is proposed to regulate.

Further, in accordance with the invention there is interposed between the first operating device which tends to displace the chock downwardly and the chock in question, a locking device which is carried in each of the stands and while being complementary with the two aforesaid devices includes an independent hydraulic control capable of transmitting very high pressures. I

According to another feature of the invention, the said complementary device is constituted by an assembly of two malefemale elements, which are locked firmly to one another in the working position so as to able to resist the forces resulting from the normal operation of the rolling mill without any displacement, whereas in the regulation position, on the other hand, the assembly is given a certain play so that it is possible, by means of the appropriately regulated action of the two opposing operating devices, to bring the roll into the desired working position very quickly.

According to still another feature of the invention, the female element of the said complementary device is constituted by a vertical axis bushing rigidly connected to the top of the housing corresponding thereto of the rolling mill stand, the male element being constituted by a vertical block of substantially cylindrical shape and having a length greater than the height of the housing stand at the place where the latter supports the said bushing, so that the block can bear at its upper portion on the rod of the jack constituting the said first operating device of the roll and at its lower portion on the chock to be operated. A bore formed in the housing stand coaxially with and in succession to the bore of the bushing, permits the free passage of the cylindrical block in its travel.

In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the firm locking together of the male-female elements to one another is obtained, at the assembly of these elements with one another, by any known means, more particularly by the use of appropriate tolerances at the dimensions affected by the connection in question, or by fitting together in the hot state for example. Unlocking is obtained by using a fluid under very high pressure which according to the invention is injected between the contacting'surfaces of the two elements. The bushing, the radial thickness of which is relatively slight, then expands very slightly but nevertheless sufficiently to permit the sliding of the cylindrical block in its bore under the action of the opposing operation devices.

It is sufficient in actual practice to organize the machine, for example, a two-high-rolling mill, so that only one of its two rolls, generally the upper roll, is provided at each of its ends with an apparatus according to the invention, the other roll being fixed or on the other hand being displaceable by the usual means. However, there is no reason why the apparatus should not be installed so as to operate both rolls at the same time, although different operational characteristics are provided for both of these apparatus.

The same can apply to four-high-rolling mills and, in a more general way, to all applications wherein it is advantageous to interpose a precise, yet independent-control, rapid positioning device between two opposing pressure systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more fully understood an embodiment in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical partial cross-sectional and partial elevational view of a two-high-rolling mill incorporating apparatus for rapidly and precisely positioning its upper roll with the roll shown in an upper position; and

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional and elevational view of one stand of the rolling mill of FIG. 1 showing the upper roll in a lower position.

.3 DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a rolling mill stand comprises two housings in which an upper roll 3 and a lower roll 10 are supported and rotatably mounted at their opposite ends respectively in chocks 4, and 11, 12, the housing terminating in top extremities indicated at l and 2. The top of housings 1 and 2 each has a bore extending therethrough with at least a part of the bores being formed by female elements constituted by bushings 17 and 18 respectively. The bushings 17 and 18 are constructed as inserts and are rigidly secured into the bores in the top of each of the housings. The radial thickness of each bushing 17, 18 is slight to enable a predetermined amount of flexing thereof in a manner to be described later herein.

Male elements in the form of stub shafts or cylindrical blocks 6 and 7 are disposed in and extend through the bores shown in the housing and have lengths which are slightly greater than the lengths of the respective housing extremity so that their lower ends are in contact with the upper sides of the chocks 4 and 5. The rods 6 and 7 may, under certain conditions, be caused to slide freely in the bores at the top of the housing and in the bores of the bushings l7 and 18. However,

the coetficient of friction between the shafts 6 and 7 in their respective bushings l7 and 18, is such that no relative displacement can take place between the shafts and the bushings under the effect of the forces which act on these shafts under the normal working conditions of the rolling mill. Thus, the bushings 17 and 18 normally clamp the respective shafts 6 and 7 in a locked position. The firm clamping or locking of the blocks 6 and 7 by the bushings l7 and 18 is obtained during assembly of the apparatus by any appropriate known means, but may be obtained by the use of appropriate tolerances of the dimensions between the connections of the parts, or by assembling the parts while heated.

in order to release the blocks 6 and 7 for sliding movement, a control fluid is injected under a sufficiently high pressure from a source of supply and under the control of a suitable panel (not shown) through conduits 21 and 22 into conduits 19 and 20 formed in the mass of the respective bushings 17 and 18 and connected externally to the conduits 21 and 22. The conduits 19 and 20 open internally into the contact surfaces between the shafts and the bushings permitting the highpressure control fluid to be injected over the entire surface area. The pressure of the fluid causes radial expansion of the bushings, the absolute value of this expansion being slight but nevertheless sufficient in magnitude to permit the free sliding of each cylindrical block within its bore. The panel may be provided with adjustable control means (not shown) which connect the conduits 21 and 22 to the high pressure fluid source or to discharge. 1

The two devices 25 and 26 are rigidly fixed respectively on the upper end portions of the housing stands coaxially with the respective blocks 6 and 7, the lower'ends of the piston rods 23 and 24 of the devices 25 and 26 engaging firmly in contact with the upper ends of the respective blocks 6 and 7.

The free-sliding movement of the blocks 6, 7 within their bores is controlled by two oppositely acting pressure fluid operated means constituted respectively by two pairs of piston and cylinder devices or jacks 8, 9 and 25, 26, the piston rods of which cooperate with oppositely disposed sides, respectively, of the chocks 4 and 5. The devices 8 and 9 firmly urge the chocks 4 and 5 in an upward direction thus also ensuring that the lower extremity of the cylindrical blocks 6 and 7 always bear against the chocks.

The two devices 25 and 26 are rigidly fixed respectively on the upper end portions of the housing stands coaxially with the respective blocks 6 and 7, the lower ends of the piston rods 23 and 24 of the devices 25 and 26 engaging firmly in contact with the upper ends of the respective blocks 6 and 7.

The devices 25 and 26 are supplied with low-pressure control fluid through regulating means comprising, as shown in the drawings, two auxiliary piston and cylinder-type pressure fluid actuators 29 and 39 mounted in series on a common base 35, the pistons 31 and 32 of which are mounted on a common rod 33. However, it is also contemplated that a control system utilizing a reciprocating spool valve provided with appropriate passages may be substituted for the several actuators 29 and 30 shown, One of the chambers of each of the actuators 29 and 30, the right-hand or working chambers for example, communicate through conduits 27 and 28 with the working upper chambers of the devices 25 and 26, respectively. A constant quantity of control fluid is confined in each of the enclosed spaces thus formed. Pressure accumulators 42 and 43 communicate with the enclosed spaces through conduits connected to the conduits 28 and 27, respectively.

The ends of the common rod 33 carry abutments 34 and 37 externally of the respective actuators 29 and 30. The abutments 34 and 37 cooperate with adjustable counter-abutments 36 and 38. In order to define the travel of the piston rod 33, the counter-abutments 36, 38 are moved towards or away from the abutments 34 and 37 either in situ or through the medium of a panel arrangement to provide a remote control means which may be mechanical or electrical and automated if desired. 1

The pressure chambers (i.e. the left-hand chamber in FIG. 1 and beyond pistons 31 and 32) of the actuators 29 and 30, which are not in communication with the devices 25 and 26, are connected to a low-pressure fluid source (not shown) pr are permitted to discharge through a conduit 41 and its branches 39 and 40 by adjustable control means (not shown). Here again the control panel may be fully automated.

The lower roll 10 may be fixedly mounted by means not shown or it may be provided with the same positioning apparatus hereinbefore described as that of the upper roll 3, although different operational characteristics are provided for both of these apparatus, or the apparatus may be constructed in known manner, for example, that described in the applicant's French Pat. specifications, Nos. 1,213,820 and 1,356,340, and referred to as of a hydromechanical clamping type as shown in the drawings thereof. The last-mentioned apparatus includes control piston and cylinder devices 15 and 16 with small cross section and considerable travel which are connected respectively to clamping piston and cylinder devices 13 and 14 which maintain constant pressure on chocks 11 and 12.

The apparatus operates as follows:

It will be assumed at the beginning that the rolling mill is in its maximum lift state, in other words that the upper roll 3 is in its uppermost position. The operation which is to be carried out, then consists first in the lowering of the upper roll to a predetermined lower position.

It will be recalled that in every position of the roll 3 the balancing piston and cylinder devices 8 and 9 are under pressure and that consequently the chocks 4 and 5 bear against the cylindrical blocks or pressure-exerting means 6 and 7, respectively. The apparatus is locked in the uppennost position by the locking of the cylindrical blocks 6 and 7 in their respective bushings 17 and 18.

lnitially, the high-pressure fluid is supplied simultaneously through the conduits 21 and 22 into the conduits 19 and 20, to be distributed over the entire extent of the contact surface of each of the cylindrical blocks 6, 7 with their respective bushings; and, under the action of the high pressure, the bushings are caused to undergo a certain radial uniform expansion, the absolute value of which is slight but nevertheless sufficient to permit the free sliding of each cylindrical block within its bushing.

At the same instant, the conduit 41 is placed into communication with the source of low-pressure control fluid, which acts on the pistons 31 and 32 causing the common rod 33 to be displaced toward the right in FIG. 1.

The travel of the rod 33 is determined by the predetermined positioning of the counter-abutment 36 with which the abutment 34 cooperates to stop the rod 33.

During the movement of the rod 33, the pistons 31 and 32 force the fluid confined in the chambers 29 and 30 through conduits 27 and 28 into the working chambers of the jack devices 25 and 26 to thereby cause equalized downward movement of the piston rods 23 and 24! of the devices 25 and 26.

In its travel, each of the rods 23 and 2d displaces its associated cylindrical block downwardly, thereby effecting consequent movement of the chocks t and 3 and the roll 3, the proportionate downward movement of each of the cylindrical blocks 6 and 7 being balanced by the opposing action of the respective balancing devices 3 and 3.

At the instant of stopping of the rod 33 at the end of its travel adjacent to the end of abutment 36, immediate stopping of the downward movement of the chocks 3 and 4 occurs at the predetermined desired position which they are to occupy.

The abutting action of abutment 3 3 and the counterabutment also causes instantaneous connection of the conduits 21 and 22 to discharge, thereby immediately locking the blocks 6 and 7 in the position which they had just reached, so that there is a complete locking of the upper roll 3 in the desired position, for example, that shown in FIG. 2.

This operation can be effected very rapidly, since all the factors which affect its occurrence are under control, for example, volumes and pressures of the fluids present, coefficients of friction and expansion, inertia of the masses present, and rolling forces.

If necessary, additional corrections and adjustments can be made in the setting thus obtained by means of the action of the clamping devices 13 and 14!, controlled by the control devices 15 and 16 and acting on the lower choclts ill and 12.

To effect the reverse operation, that is to say, to cause the opening of the rolling mill, it is necessary to be able to move the upper roll 3 upwardly again to the desired extent. To this end the clamping action of the two bushings l7 and 118 is released in the manner hereinbefore described and at the same time the low-pressure conduit 41 is connected to discharge. Then, under the action of the two balancing devices 8 and 9 the chocks 4 and are caused to move upwardly pushing the blocks 6 and 7, and the rods 23 and 2 which, under the action of their respective pistons, expel the excessive fluid into the respective working chambers of the actuators 29 and 30. During this upward movement, the rod 33 is displaced towards the left of FIG. ll until the abutment 37 on the rod contacts the counter-abutment 38 which has previously been moved into the desired position whereupon the rod 33 is stopped. At the same time the conduits 21 and 22 are connected to discharge so that the roll 3 is locked in the desired position, for example, that shown in FIG. II.

The described apparatus for locking the roll in the desired position does not require any use of hydraulic force during the entire rolling operation, thereby protecting it from fluctuations which might occur in the compressibility of the fluid which is normally used in controls of this type.

Furthermore, the positioning apparatus described has the advantage of permitting displacement, during rolling, of the two abutments 36 and 38, thus avoiding stopping of the rolling mill, thereby resulting in a considerable saving in time, espe' cially if care has been taken to first of all program the positioning in accordance with the various passes which are to follow one another throughout the rolling operation which is to be performed.

It will be appreciated that the various movements of the rolls may be programmed for remote controlled automatic operation, if necessary before each operation, by positioning the counter-abutments 3t and 33 in accordance with the succession of passes which have to be carried out by the rolling mill. Furthermore, the apparatus described permits the roll or rolls to be rapidly and precisely positioned during operative and inoperative periods.

The rolls of a four-high-rolling mill may also be similarly provided with the apparatus described in any one of the combinations referred to herein. lit should also be appreciated that the apparatus described may also be used whenever it is advantageous to interpose an independent control, precise, rapid poxsitlioning device between opposing pressure systems.

c arm:

1. In a roll stand assembly incorporating a housing and rolling components positioned in said housing for rectilinear movement, the combination comprising, apparatus for positioning first and second rolling components in parallel spaced roll supporting stands having top and bottom portions comprising said housing, pairs of upper and lower choclts slidably supported in said stands and arranged to support the first and second roll components, respectively, first low-pressure piston and cylinder means, rod means operable by said piston means positioned in said stands arranged to coordinate movement of the respective chocks and therethrough the movement of the first roll component toward and away from the second roll component, fluid actuatable bushing means surrounding said rod means and adapted to assume a clamping position for securely immobilizing said rod means and a loose position for permitting relative movement of said rod means with respect to said bushing means to allow relative movement between the checks and therethrough the roll member supported thereby, channels for guiding pressurized fluid to said bushing means for moving the latter from one of said. positions into the other and plural hydraulically actuated means for motivating the piston means relative to the cylinder means to control the area between the first and second roll components when pressure is introduced to actuate said bushing.

2. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim ll, wherein the bottom portion of each of the spaced. stands further includes fluid actuated means in engagement with the lower choclts under operation of control devices, said fluid actuated means arranged to provide adjustments supplemental to those performed by the first low-pressure piston and cylinder means.

3. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim ll, wherein axial movement of a common actuator for control of the upper choclcs is programmed for remote controlled automatic operation.

4. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein abutment means are carried at the opposite ends of said common actuator.

5. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim d, wherein the abutment means cooperate with plural reciprocable counter abutment means.

ii l l ii iii 5; UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 628, 363 Dated Dgcempg; 21, 127].

Inventor(s) Lucien Diolot It is certified that error appears in .the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col, 2,, line 12, before "able" insert be Cole 2 line 47, delete "operation" and insert operating Col 3, reverse the fourth and fifth pz-:+.ragrap2r;s.

Q01 1, line 26, "pr",should be or Signed and sealed this 11 th day of July '5 972.

(SEAL) Attest: I

EDWARD M.FLETCI {ER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a roll stand assembly incorporating a housing and rolling components positioned in said housing for rectilinear movement, the combination comprising, apparatus for positioning first and second rolling components in parallel spaced roll supporting stands having top and bottom portions comprising said housing, pairs of upper and lower chocks slidably supported in said stands and arranged to support the first and second roll components, respectively, first low-pressure piston and cylinder means, rod means operable by said piston means positioned in said stands arranged to coordinate movement of the respective chocks and therethrough the movement of the first roll component toward and away from the second roll component, fluid actuatable bushing means surrounding said rod means and adapted to assume a clamping position for securely immobilizing said rod means and a loose position for permitting relative movement of said rod means with respect to said bushing means to allow relative movement between the chocks and therethrough the roll member supported thereby, channels for guiding pressurized fluid to said bushing means for moving the latter from one of said positions into the other and plural hydraulically actuated means for motivating the piston means relative to the cylinder means to control the area between the first and second roll components when pressure is introduced to actuate said bushing.
 2. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of each of the spaced stands further includes fluid actuated means in engagement with the lower chocks under operation of control devices, said fluid actuated means arranged to provide adjustments supplemental to those performed by the first low-pressure piston and cylinder means.
 3. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein axial movement of a common actuator for control of the upper chocks is programmed for remote controlled automatic operation.
 4. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein abutment means are carried at the opposite ends of said common actuator.
 5. In a roll stand assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the abutment means cooperate with plural reciprocable counter abutment means. 